High-efficiency photoelectrocatalytic hydrogen generation enabled by palladium quantum dots-sensitized TiO 2 nanotube arrays

Meidan Ye, Jiaojiao Gong, Yuekun Lai, Changjian Lin, Zhiqun Lin

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

586 Scopus citations

Abstract

TiO 2 nanotube arrays (TNTAs) sensitized by palladium quantum dots (Pd QDs) exhibit highly efficient photoelectrocatalytic hydrogen generation. Vertically oriented TNTAs were prepared by a three-step electrochemical anodization. Subsequently, Pd QDs with uniform size and narrow size distribution were formed on TiO 2 nanotubes by a modified hydrothermal reaction (i.e., yielding nanocomposites of Pd QDs deposited on TNTAs, Pd@TNTAs). By exploiting Pd@TNTA nanocomposites as both photoanode and cathode, a substantially increased photon-to-current conversion efficiency of nearly 100% at λ = 330 nm and a greatly promoted photocatalytic hydrogen production rate of 592 μmol·h -1·cm -2 under 320 mW·cm -2 irradiation were achieved. The synergy between nanotubular structures of TiO 2 and uniformly dispersed Pd QDs on TiO 2 facilitated the charge transfer of photoinduced electrons from TiO 2 nanotubes to Pd QDs and the high activity of Pd QDs catalytic center, thereby leading to high-efficiency photoelectrocatalytic hydrogen generation.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)15720-15723
Number of pages4
JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society
Volume134
Issue number38
DOIs
StatePublished - 26 Sep 2012

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